Singles
by Danica Blazenka
Summary: Elena sees more of Damon than she's ever suppose to and learns more about herself than she could ever hope. Set during Season two; one-shot.


**a.n.: **(revised) I might not have fixed _all_ the grammar and spelling errors but I have broken up the dialogue/ text to make it easier to read! Yeah!  
btw, if anyone has seen the promo for S3, just going to say – called it!  
Hope you enjoy this one-shot.

**~Ѱ~**

The Boarding House was still, yet not just quiet but completely soundless. On afternoons like today she would have been with Stefan enjoying a nice day together. Instead, Elena was tasked to do research with Damon because apparently she was in martyrdom mode and since Damon already stopped her once…

The whole situation gave her a terrible head ache. She wished, and sometimes pleaded to an unknown god, she could go back to her old life. Even though being with Stefan was nice, there were days she would trade it all for cheerleading practice, normal Bonnie and Caroline, being able to just play video games with Jeremy and she could talk to her par…

Elena interrupted her train of thought yet again. If she went down that track again she would give up again and this time no amount of pep talk might bring her out of it. She just couldn't do that to herself, not when she promised Stefan she would renew her efforts of trying to do so. She could not give up hope (despite how hopeless it might be).

So engrossed in her internal struggle, Elena forgot…or well, disregarded all common courtesy of knocking and just entered his room without notice.

"Elena! Dear Lord…would it bother you to knock?" Damon scolded as he vainly tried to wrap a towel around his waist.

But it had been too late and all in vain because when Elena had immediately looked straight ahead in Damon's direction when she entered the room. This, unfortunately, meant she had just seen everything Damon Salvatore had to offer. Everything. Not just limited to the PG-13 or NC-17 sense either. And no matter how hard she could and would try, she highly doubted she could ever unseen "everything".

Finally able to bring her gaping mouth closed, Elena stammered, "I'm so sorry Damon…I wasn't…ah, thinking."

Was that the best explanation she could give? It sounded more like she was trying to come up with an excuse.

"It's quite alright Elena. Well, not really but to save from further embarrassment I'm just going to go into my bathroom and change, alright?" Damon suggested with his pointed thumb as he gathered his pants before making his way to the second door. All Elena could do was nod.

Elena began to leave with the mind set it would be best to go down stairs and get a start on the research while waiting for Damon when probably the asinine idea popped up. Usually, Elena dismissed something like this but with all that had happened lately who would blame her if she decided to?

Damon eventually exited the bathroom whilst drying his hair, conveniently ignoring Elena's presence. Although, Damon did became aware of her when she waved her hand in front of him.

"Um, Elena…what are you…Did you owe me for something?" he asked with evident confusion.

"Well, I saw something I've never seen before," Elena tried to explain as she held up the dollar bill.

Confused, Damon gaped at her for a moment before accepting the money with recognition. "Elena Gilbert, really?" he asked with a delightfully surprised smile.

She would probably never cease to amaze him but for once, he was taken completely off guard. It warmed his heart strangely that she would remember one of his throw away lines he used on her and Stefan, and try to make light of the current dark situation they seemed to perpetuity be in. Elena could only smile back before heading to the door, "I'll be in the study, okay?"

"You do realize now," Damon began as he pulled on his shirt.

"This means war?" Elena tried to finish for him.

"No…I'll have to pay you back now," he added with his signature 'eye thing' as he tucked the dollar into his denim pocket.

Yet, instead of Elena's usual response of disapproval and smacks, she laughed with genuine humor- the type that reached your eyes and Damon just jumped right in and joined her. For once, it was just the two of them laughing at each other's snarky comments. Elena hadn't heard his laugh for so long and the light hearted one she was hearing now she possible had never heard before.

Elena just shook her head of thought, only to have it consumed with reality once again. She moved back to the door frame muttering, "You probably know what I look like already," before she left.

However, Damon was quicker than her and grasped her wrist to keep her in the room; "We were having a fun moment but you just had to ruin it."

"Excuse me?" Elena questioned in regard to his tone.

"Stefan doesn't seem like the most positive role model if your thoughts turn so quickly to brooding and gloom," he stated, the dark expression from the last month returning to his face again.

"I don't understand…" Elena tried but Damon cut her off, "You know exactly what I mean. God Elena, are you forever going to compare yourself to her?"

Elena ripped her arm from his grasp, "Well, I do in fact share her face, it's only logical we probably share the same body…features," Elena tried to finish without a grimace or bile rising to her mouth. Bodily features that ensnared both Salvatore brothers….

Damon could only sigh, "How many…Elena, you are nothing like her. Sometimes I even forget…" but he stopped himself before correcting, "Elena, I could give you probably a hundred differences between you and …Katherine. Particularly in body plan…which I would have to guess at because I've never had the pleasure of seeing you, Ms. Elena Gilbert, in the…"

"Damon!" Elena was quick to scold him, which only results in him smirking before resuming, "But I am serious."

"Oh, how so?" Elena folded her arms across her chest; she was always one to defy him.

"Well, Katherine had a child so there's a major difference right there," he began.

"Oh, so she's more curvy and womanly than me, thanks Damon," Elena scoffed.

"That's not what I meant. Yes, she had curves and certain…assets that were attractive during that certain time period. Yet she also had an extremely hourglass waist, which was probably due to corsets that I never saw her without."

When that didn't ease the look on Elena's face, Damon decided to change tactics. "She's curvy, I'll give her that. She probably has stretch marks I've never seen…and how sexy are those?"

This earned him a light laugh from Elena but he knew he wasn't clear quite yet. "And you Elena, even covered head to toe in clothes, are a different entity all together. You're probably lean and fit with just the perfect combination of womanly charm. You certainly present grace wherever you are."

"Damon," she began again to interrupt him but he wouldn't have it.

"You forget I saw you in the beautiful blue dress at the Founder's Ball and you were quite lovely as you descended the stairs. A blind man could see you and your beauty with such…honest truth Katherine could never master with all her fem fatal."

"Damon," Elena's voice came out slightly like a whine but more of a whisper when Damon finished his statement.

"But, of course, I don't know any of this for certain unless you want to show me," Damon remarked quickly, displacing the intimate atmosphere with his sexual tone.

"Damon," she rolled her eyes; that one had definitely earned him a smack on the arm, but Elena still smiled.

"Oh, come on. I show you mine, but you won't show me yours? Elena Gilbert…hardly fair," Damon commented with his façade of hurt. Oh yes, her Damon was _almost_ back – with sexual innuendoes and all, and she couldn't be happier.

Elena turned to leave again but before Elena could reach the door frame, Damon pulled her back to embrace her in a hug.

"I know this sounds horrible cliché but I would not be the man I am today without you, Elena. So, thank you…for being there when I needed it," he finished as he gave her a friendly pat on the back, "That's one thing Katherine could never do."

"Well, you've been there for me and to save my life so…thank you," she replied with a reassuring pat for him, "Its…it's just nice to have my best friend back," she finds herself able to finish.

Damon just shook his head while he rests his forehead on her shoulder for a moment, "You never truly lost me but thanks for bringing me back anyways."

All Elena could reply back with was a 'no problem.'

The two stayed like that for a while, long enough to grasp the moment before Elena could feel awkward and disloyal. They pulled back with a mutual short laugh before Damon turned to his armoire to fix his shirt, "Now, I'll be right behind you. We still have research to do downstairs."

Elena faked an overdramatic look of dread, "Oh great, more homework," Elena joked.

"Yes…that could save your life," Damon replied in a snide tone.

Elena left the room with a strange smile on her face as she closed the door behind her. No, she wouldn't trade her life now for anything.  
But - wait a minute…How could Damon, being a vampire, neglect hearing her walk up the stairs, let alone not hear her come into his room? She could only wonder as she headed down stairs.

"_If I see something I've never seen before, I'll throw a dollar at it." – Damon Salvatore._

**~Ѱ~**

**So, what do you think? I really appreciate creative criticism. It helps me grow as a writer.**

**I know you are all disappointed they didn't rush romantically into each other's arms and made love right there and then, but, thinking of the characters' personas now, would you actually think they would do that? **

**I'd be lying if I said this wasn't a slight nod to other (graphic/ smutty) stories people have written. That being said, I tried to take a serious/ playful approach while reflecting what is actually happening in the show (currently).  
And please don't take that as 'dissing' or 'bitchy'. While sometimes silly in their plot and grammar (also completely off canon), I try to remember this site is made for exploration of creativity and growth, which entails one making mistakes. And I am (very very very) thankful they are posting their stories here rather than having them published. (*cough* Stephanie Meyers *cough* teehee) **

**So if you are still reading this, thank you! Hope you enjoyed this spur of the moment short. **

**The quote is from the episode "Children of the Damned" in season 1.**


End file.
